New Provost, VP Academic and Research at NU

Nipissing University is pleased to announce Dr. Arja Vainio-Mattila has been appointed provost and vice-president academic and research. Dr. Vainio-Mattila’s five-year term begins October 10, 2017. She will replace Dr. Harley d’Entremont, who is retiring after concluding a five-year term and a 40-year career in academia.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Vainio-Mattila to Nipissing University,” said Nipissing president Dr. Mike DeGagné.  “She brings a wealth of experience and a passionate interest in the strategic development of higher education and community development that will serve this university and community well as we continue to move forward.”

“I am very excited about coming to Nipissing University and look forward to helping the university continue to evolve and achieve its goals. Nipissing’s excellent reputation for student satisfaction was very attractive to me; this is a university that cares deeply about student success and building community,” said Dr. Vainio-Mattila.  “My family and I are very excited about living here.  North Bay is our kind of place, we love the outdoors, the arts and the Northern landscape. It immediately felt like home.”

She brings close to 30 years of experience in institutional development related to universities and as a consultant in global development focusing on results-based management. Dr. Vainio-Mattila is currently the dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Cape Breton University, as well as a full professor of Political Science. She also holds an adjunct appointment in the department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research at Western University and a docent appointment at the University of Helsinki.

Dr. Vainio-Mattila began her academic career in 1984, as a research assistant in the department of Silviculture at the University of Helsinki.  She served as resident anthropologist in Kenya for the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Helsinki in 1985 – 86 and continued to work as a researcher at the University of Helsinki until 1987.  In 1993, Dr. Vainio-Mattila began working at the University of British Columbia as a conference researcher.  From 1996 – 1998, she was an assistant professor in the Environmental Policy Institute at Brock University.  From 1998 – 2002, she served as an assistant professor in International and Comparative Studies at Western University affiliate Huron University College.  From 2000 – 2005, she served as the director of the Centre of International Studies at Huron; from 2005 – 2007 she worked as the director for Huron’s Centre for Global Studies.  Continuing at Huron, she was associate dean in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science from 2007 – 2009, the director of academic planning in 2009 – 2010, associate dean in Academic Student Services and International Initiatives from 2009 – 2012.  She worked as an associate professor in Huron’s Centre for Global Studies from 2002 – 2014.  In 2014, she began work as the dean of Arts and Social Sciences and a full professor in Political Science at Cape Breton University.

Dr. Vainio-Mattila holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Turku, Finland; a Master of Philosophy degree in Geography from the School of Oriental and African Studies in the United Kingdom; and a Bachelor of Science degree from University College London in the United Kingdom.  She also holds certificates in University and College Administration and University Management from the University of Manitoba.